Help understanding ESS choice

Hi

I have read every review in the world (except one ) about firewall and suites until my head hurts.

Anyway, I have decided to go with either
1) ESS or
2) Comodo 3 and Nod32

I had some questions I wondered if somwone could help answer?

Is the AV in ESS the identical to NOD32 (I believe it is)?

There is much talk of ESS failing leak tests.
However, I am right in assuming ESS blocks outgoing connections right?

As an example I often install programs I have downloaded.
If I was to run such a program I installed and it tried to connect to the internet to check for updates or 'phone home' I could expect ESS to stop this right? This isn't an example of a 'leak' that ESS could miss?

Zone Alarm would definitely not allow this (but I cannot use that now I moved to 64 bit).

Concern about this is leading me to Comodo but I have heard so much about a thousand pop-ups with this. Zone alarm used to pop up once but then it was happy once I answered it. I don't like the idea of a firewall thast just never 'shuts up'.

Zone alarm used to indicate if things attempted to modify the registry etc also. Again this was a simple answer and usually only when installing new programs.

Does ESS warn about such things too?

I am really in a quandary about which of the two to go for.
ZA Suite seemed to have it about right (but with NOD32), but that is not an option now,

I want the right amount of protection, but I also want it simple without being pestered to death.

I would appreciate any feedback

D

 

ESS is EAV+Firewall+Anti-Spam so... they both have same equal AV capability
yes ESS will check outgoing connection and you can choose to allow it or not...

 

But only if it's in Interactive Mode.

 

hi, i tried both and comodo with defence plus is similar to a second full time job. it has some worrying bugs, ie any online game using game guard will not only crash but hard reset the pc, the first time this happens it's quite terrifying! till you find it's a know issue http://forums.comodo.com/empty-t22022.0.html
i also found everytime you run ccleaner or install a game patch you get a load of files 'waiting for your review' defence + may be good but god it's hard work.
i would advise ess with firewall on interactive mode, as far as i can see it fails leak tests on auto mode (as do most suites in no nag mode) because it's a program you authorised installation and it's not a known threat. interactive mode gives you peace of mind as it will check all connections and you can create rules by simply ticking a box so you dont get nagged more than once. (wish microsoft could learn from this with uac!)

 

Hi All

Thanks for the replies.

I have installed the trial and I like it.

I used in in interactive mode. I wouldn't want it any other way as I wan't to be told and authorise any attempts.

It also found an rbot trojan and deleted it which is good.
(fortunately no other problems found).


I have one other question will ESS warn me if programs try to write to the Run start up key in the registry - or is that the sort of extra thing that Comodo does?

Thanks agasin for the replies.

 

not sure, i use it with http://www.threatfire.com/ which uses about 3.5 k of ran no cpu (doesnt scan) and it detects any unauthorised changes. on standard mode it nags very little and the 2 seem to work very well together.

 

Thanks I will try ThreatFire too.

Well, I have just spent a couple of hours installing and re-installing and trying Comodo.

Tried the different modes etc.

The pop up's got on my nerves by the end.
It never seemed to shut up, even after I tried to say apps were trusted:
X is trying to do y
X is trying to hook into Z
X is...

.. then the dlls in the chain startup too..

Then programs intrinsic to the OS start :
calwin.exe is .... (Windows calendar loading...)
(but why dosen't it know intrinsic OS apps and processes and configure them automatically).

I uninstalled and then tried with D+ but kept leak protection.
Still drove me mad.

I know there are other options to try and help - such as learning etc and I know I didn't spend lots of time getting it just right.

I am sure Comodo is superb but I just don't have the patience to play with all the settings etc.
Windows media player generated about 30 pop ups in one scenario.
It seems just overkill for my needs- even though I am sure it's really excellent.


So it's ESS in interactive mode and maybe ThreatFire for me...


PS: thanks for all the comments that helped me decide.